New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson will transfer ownership of the city's two major pro sports franchises to his wife, Gayle, when he dies, effectively ousting Benson's granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, who has previously been his handpicked successor.

In a plan revealed to NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune on Wednesday afternoon at the teams' Metairie headquarters, Benson said the change is necessary to "ensure the long-term stability and success" of the sports franchises and his other business interests.


New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies | NOLA.com

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

And so Rita's hot meter just dropped a few notches... :jester:

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Looks like the kids pissed the old man off. If he's making the decision for what's best for both franchises and to keep them in New Orleans...WTH did the kids have planned???

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

This would make a good mini-series.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

wow shocker. wonder if rita was part of the changes the team was talking about

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

I don't know anything about the mom or brother but by all accounts we're better off not having Rita associated with the teams. She seems to be a train wreck waiting to happen.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

I wonder what happen. Tom know Best! Or was that Father Knows Best!

Rita pushed out
 

Does anyone know the real story of why Rita was pushed out of the front office of the Saints.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Hmmm ... sounds like the ol' third-wife-end-around-get-control-of-the-old-man's-assets-play if you ask me, :neutral: ... 'legacy' my ass ... everyone's jockeying for position in anticipation of Mr. Benson kicking off.

Re: Rita pushed out
 

Gang banged by players?

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

The narrative seems to be that she turned into a diva with a major sense of entitlement. It's probably for the best.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Not a real shocker. We have seen Rita being on the outs for some time now. Only they know but perhaps the job was just too big for her. The other part I read was this also has plans to keep the team(s) in NO forever(?) I think I read.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

From the stuff I remember reading about her over the years, my best bet is her level of female dog was beyond over the top. With grandpa around all the time, he could buffer some of it, my guess she eventually got to be too much even for him to handle.

Re: Rita pushed out
 

Idk. But if ya like conspiracy theories, I think the old man found out they were going to move it or sell it after he died. He said it was for what was "best" for the franchises.

Maybe he found out they were more interested in money than anything else.

I'm not from a wealthy family so all I can do is guess.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

She never has been or will be the person for the job. She would have turned us into the Browns real fast, and likely would have tried to move the teams or sell them. I remember a story when she got demoted by Benson last time that she went through something like 30 personal assistants in 1 year. Entitled diva.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

She would've been like that female owner of the Indians in the movie Major League lol.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

It was (and still is) utterly delusional to think that a sheltered, uneducated, inexperienced, and intellectually deficient person could ever be considered for the role of CEO/owner.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Soooooo, what happens if Gayle goes first. Tom could just out live us all.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

That's the million dollar question. Who gets the team. Loomis would likely take over until a suitable buyer to keep the teams in NO could be established is my best guess. The profits would go to foundations and charities in the meantime. They also took Rita's free Mercedes so I think it's safe to assume she's dead to him.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

I really thought Rita was responsible for talking Benson into keeping the Saints here(not Tagliabue) and changing the way they spent money. My bad. :wink:

Re: Rita pushed out
 

Thank you Tom.......we want to stay in New Orleans.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Apparently that "poison pill" clause Sean Payton tried to have in his new contract where he could leave if Mickey Loomis left was in part due to Loomis being an intermediary between Payton and Rita. I don't remember where I read that, but she was not well liked.

Re: Rita pushed out
 

I was at a law firm last night, for a cocktail party. True story, Rita walked right by me, and she was seething mad (I hadn't heard about the story yet). Well, she and one of the attorneys went into an office, and I never saw them again. I even mentioned to the people I was with that Rita seemed really upset about something. Whatever it was, it went down pretty suddenly. I mean, I have heard that she wasn't in Benson's good graces for the last few years, but this seems pretty dramatic. I bet it has as much to do with Gayle, as it does Rita.

Regardless, not a good look for our organization. Hope everything settles out ok.

Re: Rita pushed out
 

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora · 1h 1 hour ago
Big winners in Saints power struggle are Loomis and Payton. Had Rita Benson taken over their days were numbered. Bad blood there...

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora · 1h 1 hour ago
Big winners in Saints power struggle are Loomis and Payton. Had Rita Benson taken over their days were numbered. Bad blood there...

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

She was a b*tch - plain and simple. Didnt know how to get along w other people. Apparently she sifted through more than 30 assistants in 6 years. Im glad she's gone.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

From their official site:

Finally, when family members are involved, decision are always tougher. My family, as they have been their whole lives, will be very well taken care of, however, this is about making the correct decision as it pertains specifically to the future of the Saints and Pelicans and their long-term success in the city of New Orleans, where they belong.”

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

The Saints and Pelicans will remain under the same management structure, with Gayle Benson serving as owner; that has seen both teams prosper and grow. The management structure of having a small team of senior managers oversee both the Saints and Pelicans will remain in place. The executive level management will continue to be led by Dennis Lauscha (President) and Mickey Loomis (Executive Vice President/General Manager). The senior level management team will remain in place with Greg Bensel (Senior Vice President of Communications/Broadcasting), Jean-Paul Dardenne (Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships), Ben Hales (Senior Vice President of Marketing & Business Development), Ed Lang (Senior Vice President/CFO), Vicky Neumeyer (Senior Vice President/General Counsel) and Mike Stanfield (Senior Vice President of Sales).

“Continuity is very important and this plan ensures that,” Benson said. “We have had the same management team in place that oversees both teams for a number of years. It has proven to be successful and it works. Dennis and Mickey will continue to run the operations as they have done day-to-day for the last 10 years or so. They consult with me daily, but they will continue to have the same authority they have always had with making decisions, large and small and this will continue even when Gayle becomes owner. This is a good structure…the only difference is that my wife Gayle, will be in control of the Saints and Pelicans when I die, which I can assure you will not be anytime soon.”

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Any video you see, Rita has looked distant from Tom and Gayle. As if they do not really pay attention to Rita. Their is certainly some friction.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Turn Tom into a T-1000

Re: Rita pushed out
 

😆😆😆😆😆

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

In all honestly we don't need this to last long. Just another distraction.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Oh, it's going to last long alright.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Was it ever above zero?

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

I guess we could have a new mini series on our hands lot of money at stake with the Benson empire!

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

We are screen testing right now! http://blackandgold.com/saints/70704-rita-sues.html

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

no one fears a saints move? a woman with no training taking over the club?

i fear the worse in this one.

so i am bit concern by the overall attitude about this.

seen it happen before. one court case and all the promises in the world to stay and with in three years the Minnesota North stars were the Dallas Stars. nothing the fans could do to stop it. money or court could not stop it.

I still have "F" Norm Green T ****. wear anytime i go through Dallas

be concerned very concerned

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

^Exactly if this is still going on in April might as well forfeit the season as the naysayers will be right again.

Re: New Orleans Saints, Pelicans ownership shocker: wife Gayle, not granddaughter Rita, will control empire after Tom Benson dies
 

Rita has been working for the Saints since H.S. She knows the business. She may not have tact but she can do it. As for the wife, no, she would delegate. This is shaping into a clear power grab for all the loot. Both women want all the coin. There can be only one.